Amazon EC2 · Finder + automated fixer
EC2 Stop Idle Instances
StopIdle Instances
Stop idle EC2 instances that are running but serving no workload. CloudFix identifies instances with zero utilization to eliminate unnecessary compute costs.
What happens, in order.
Finder · read-only
Finds the opportunity
Scans your connected accounts with a read-only role. It can see resource metadata and usage; it can’t change anything.
You
Approve in Recommendations
It appears in your Recommendations view with what it would save. Approve the resources you choose. Nothing has changed yet.
Fixer
Runs in your account
The fixer runs as an AWS Systems Manager Automation runbook in your AWS account, and acts only on the resources you approved.
Record
Logs the execution
The Systems Manager execution is logged, so every change can be audited.
Finder role
Read-only. It can see resource metadata and usage. It can’t change anything.
Fixer role
A separate, minimal role that acts only on the resources you approved, through AWS Systems Manager.
Saves by
Over time, it is common for an AWS account to accumulate a number of idle EC2 instances as a result of product re-architectures, migration of workloads, or instances being spawned for temporary use such as PoCs. Most idle EC2 instances can be stopped. Stopped instances do not incur charges (apart from attached EBS volumes and Elastic IP addresses) and are easy to restart.
It’s common for AWS accounts to accumulate idle EC2 instances over time due to various reasons like product re-architectures, workload migrations, or temporary proof-of-concept setups. These idle instances, while not actively used, continue to incur costs. CloudFix identifies these idle instances and allows you to stop them easily, thereby reducing unnecessary EC2 spending. Stopped instances do not incur charges (except for attached EBS volumes and Elastic IPs) and can be restarted quickly if needed.
Overview
Problem Statement
Unused or idle EC2 instances represent wasted cloud expenditure. Identifying these instances manually can be challenging, especially in large environments. These instances might have been launched for temporary tasks, testing, or development and were never properly decommissioned. They consume resources and contribute to higher AWS bills without providing any business value.
Solution Impact
CloudFix’s “Stop Idle EC2 Instances” feature helps you identify and stop these unused resources systematically. By stopping idle instances, you can achieve significant cost savings, potentially reducing your EC2 spending by identifying the ~3% of instances typically found to be idle across CloudFix users. This optimization ensures you only pay for the compute resources you actively use.
AWS Services Affected
How It Works
The finder uses your cost and usage data and EC2’s own utilization metrics, read-only, to identify instances that have been consistently idle for an extended period. It skips instances that are unsafe to stop. Idle instances appear in your Recommendations for you to approve.
Once approved, the fixer runs as an AWS Systems Manager Automation runbook in your own account. It first saves the instance’s configuration as a launch template, so it can be restored, and then stops the instance. Every execution is logged.
FAQ
What are the potential cost savings?
Roughly 3% of EC2 instances across the CloudFix user base are identified as idle, corresponding to approximately 1% of total EC2 spending. Stopping these instances can lead to direct cost reductions.
Is it possible to roll back the fix?
Yes. CloudFix provides a rollback that restarts the stopped instance. The fixer also saves the instance’s configuration as a launch template before stopping it, so the instance can be recreated if ever needed.
Can CloudFix implement the fix automatically?
Yes, once you accept the recommendation in the CloudFix interface, the fixer can automatically stop the idle instance.
Does stopping an instance require downtime?
Stopping the instance itself means the application running on it will become unavailable (downtime for that specific instance). However, since the identified instances are already idle, stopping them should not impact active workloads. Restarting the instance later takes only a few minutes.
Are there charges for stopped instances?
You are not charged for instance usage while it is stopped. However, you are still charged for any attached EBS volume storage and any Elastic IP addresses associated with the instance.
Related Resources
- Stop and start Amazon EC2 instances (AWS Documentation)
- StopInstances API Reference (AWS Documentation)
- Stop idle EC2 instances (CloudFix Support Article)
Ready to start saving on AWS? See how much you could cut from your cloud bill with a free cost optimization assessment, or explore CloudFix automated Finder/Fixers that eliminate waste across 30+ AWS services.
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